Научная статья на тему 'THE EXPERIENCE OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING AT KRASNOYARSK STATE AGRARIAN UNIVERSITY ON ZOOM PLATFORM IN THE PANDEMIC CONDITIONS'

THE EXPERIENCE OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING AT KRASNOYARSK STATE AGRARIAN UNIVERSITY ON ZOOM PLATFORM IN THE PANDEMIC CONDITIONS Текст научной статьи по специальности «Науки об образовании»

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Ключевые слова
HIGHER EDUCATION / FOREIGN LANGUAGES / NON-LINGUISTIC UNIVERSITY / REMOTE LEARNING / DISTANCE LEARNING / DIGITALIZATION / UNIVERSITY / ADVANTAGES / DISADVANTAGES / ELECTRONIC INFORMATION EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

Аннотация научной статьи по наукам об образовании, автор научной работы — Shmeleva Zhanna Nickolaevna

At the present stage of the development of world civilization, it is problematic to find a field of activity that is not affected to some extent by the consequences of the spread of a new coronavirus infection. The previously unthinkable situation has become a serious and critical test of readiness not only for the world health service, but also for educational institutions at all levels. General education schools, colleges and universities were forced to transform the education process into a new format, experimenting with mass “remote learning”. One can assert that the impact of the pandemic on education, including higher education, has radically changed its foundations. all educational institutions, including universities, found themselves in difficult conditions and were forced to adapt to the current events in a short time, spend significant financial and human resources for accelerated digitalization of education, trying to maintain the quality of education in the current conditions. Educational information and communication technologies, which seemed to be a form of education of the future, also changed their former essence and purpose. Universities were forced to solve many pressing issues in a short time: in what forms to conduct distance learning; what technical means to use for this; how to assess the assimilation of students of the material received; how to conduct final exams, defense of diploma projects, and how to conduct the enrollment for the next academic year. Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University did not stay away from the events. And if in March 2020, the university mainly conducted remote training on the Moodle platform, designed more for independent work of students, then during the second wave, the university successfully conducts distance learning on the modern Zoom platform. The purpose of the article is to show the experience of using the above-mentioned platform in teaching foreign languages, considering its advantages and disadvantages.

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Текст научной работы на тему «THE EXPERIENCE OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING AT KRASNOYARSK STATE AGRARIAN UNIVERSITY ON ZOOM PLATFORM IN THE PANDEMIC CONDITIONS»

Балтийский гуманитарный журнал. 2021. Т. 10. № 1(34)

ISSN print: 2311-0066; ISSN online: 2712-9780

ШМЕЛЕВА Жанна Николаевна ОПЫТ ПРЕПОДАВАНИЯ ИНОСТРАННОГО ...

УДК 378

DOI: 10.26140/bgz3-2021-1001-0073

ОПЫТ ПРЕПОДАВАНИЯ ИНОСТРАННОГО ЯЗЫКА В КРАСНОЯРСКОМ ГАУ НА ПЛАТФОРМЕ ZOOM В УСЛОВИЯХ ПАНДЕМИИ

© Автор(ы) 2021 AuthorlD: 707158 SPIN 6871-6102 ORCID: 0000-0003-2102-4776 ScopusID: 57211159664

ШМЕЛЕВА Жанна Николаевна, кандидат философских наук, доцент, доцент кафедры «Иностранных языков и профессиональных коммуникаций» ЦМСиБ Красноярский государственный аграрный университет (660049, Россия, Красноярск, пр. Мира, 90, e-mail: shmelevazhanna@mail.ru) Аннотация. На современном этапе развития мировой цивилизации проблематично найти сферу деятельности, в той или иной степени не затронутую последствиями распространения новой коронавирусной инфекции. Немыслимая ранее ситуация, стала серьезной и критичной проверкой готовности не только для мирового здравоохранения, но и для образовательных учреждений всех уровней. Общеобразовательные школы, колледжи и университеты были вынуждены трансформировать процесс образования в новый формат, экспериментируя с массовым "удаленным обучением". Можно смело утверждать, что влияние пандемии на образование, в том числе и высшее, радикальным образом изменила его устои. Все образовательные учреждения, включая университеты, оказались в тяжелых условиях и были вынуждены в сжатые сроки адаптироваться к происходящим событиям, затрачивать значительные финансовые и человеческие ресурсы для ускоренной цифровизации образования, стараясь в сложившихся условиях сохранить его качество. Обучающие информационные и коммуникационные технологии, которые казались формой образования будущего, тоже поменяли свою прежнюю суть и предназначение. Университеты оказались вынуждены в короткие сроки решать множество острых вопросов: в каких формах проводить дистанционное обучение; какие технические средства для этого использовать; как оценивать усвоение студентами полученного материала; как проводить выпускные экзамены, защиту дипломных проектов, и каким образом осуществлять набор на следующий академический год. Красноярский ГАУ не остался в стороне от происходящих событий. И если в марте 2020 года вуз в основном проводил удаленное обучение на платформе Moodle, предназначенной больше для самостоятельной работы студентов, то во времена второй волны, университет успешно проводит дистанционное обучение на современной платформе Zoom. Целью автора статьи является показать опыт использования вышеуказанной платформы в преподавании иностранных языков, рассмотрев ее достоинства и недостатки.

Ключевые слова: высшее образование, иностранные языки, неязыковой вуз, удаленное обучение, дистанционное обучение, цифровизация, Moodle, Zoom, университет, достоинства, недостатки, электронно-информационная образовательная среда.

THE EXPERIENCE OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING AT KRASNOYARSK STATE AGRARIAN UNIVERSITY ON ZOOM PLATFORM IN THE PANDEMIC CONDITIONS

© The Author(s) 2021

SHMELEVA Zhanna Nickolaevna, candidate of philosophical sciences, associate professor, docent of the department of "Foreign Languages and Professional Communications", Center of International links and Business Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University (660049, Russia, Krasnoyarsk, Mira Av., 90, e-mail: shmelevazhanna@mail.ru) Abstract. At the present stage of the development of world civilization, it is problematic to find a field of activity that is not affected to some extent by the consequences of the spread of a new coronavirus infection. The previously unthinkable situation has become a serious and critical test of readiness not only for the world health service, but also for educational institutions at all levels. General education schools, colleges and universities were forced to transform the education process into a new format, experimenting with mass "remote learning". One can assert that the impact of the pandemic on education, including higher education, has radically changed its foundations. all educational institutions, including universities, found themselves in difficult conditions and were forced to adapt to the current events in a short time, spend significant financial and human resources for accelerated digitalization of education, trying to maintain the quality of education in the current conditions. Educational information and communication technologies, which seemed to be a form of education of the future, also changed their former essence and purpose. Universities were forced to solve many pressing issues in a short time: in what forms to conduct distance learning; what technical means to use for this; how to assess the assimilation of students of the material received; how to conduct final exams, defense of diploma projects, and how to conduct the enrollment for the next academic year. Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University did not stay away from the events. And if in March 2020, the university mainly conducted remote training on the Moodle platform, designed more for independent work of students, then during the second wave, the university successfully conducts distance learning on the modern Zoom platform. The purpose of the article is to show the experience of using the above-mentioned platform in teaching foreign languages, considering its advantages and disadvantages.

Keywords: higher education, foreign languages, non-linguistic university, remote learning, distance learning, digitaliza-tion, Moodle, Zoom, university, advantages, disadvantages, electronic information educational environment.

INTRODUCTION

Modern realities connected with the consequences of the spread of a new coronavirus infection force us to look for new ways of learning with the use of the latest information technologies. The previously unthinkable situation has become a serious and critical test of readiness not only for the world health service, but also for educational institutions at all levels. General education schools, colleges and universities were forced to transform the education process into a new format, experimenting with mass "remote learning".

Educational information and communication technologies, which seemed to be a form of education of the future, also changed their former essence and purpose. Universities were forced to solve many pressing issues in a short time: in what forms to conduct distance learning; what technical means to use for this; how to assess the assimilation of students of the material received; how to conduct final exams, defense of diploma projects, and how to recruit for the next academic year. The foreign language teachers also had to choose those from a huge number of educational platforms and services

SHMELEVA Zhanna Nickolaevna

THE EXPERIENCE OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE ...

Baltic Humanitarian Journal. 2021. T. 10. № 1(34)

ISSN print: 2311-0066; ISSN online: 2712-9780

offered that would help us to continue the learning process in the best way, but already in the Internet space. Krasnoyarsk State Agrarian University did not stay away from the events. And if in March 2020, the university mainly conducted remote training on the Moodle platform, designed more for independent work of students, then during the second wave, the university successfully conducts distance learning on the modern Zoom platform.

Zoom is a cloud-based video conferencing platform that allows to communicate online in an accessible format in real time, which was a fundamental factor for choosing a platform for teaching English to university students online. Due to its functional features, Zoom allows to conduct a lesson as efficiently as possible with distance learning. The Zoom platform offers communication software, which is believed to be one of the main advantages of this system, combining video conferencing, chat and collaboration between students and teachers through the use of various functions provided by the above-mentioned platform, both sides of the educational process.

Definitely the idea of distant learning is not new for the system of higher education. Many researchers investigated its advantages and disadvantages from different points of view. Kulakova N.S. [1], Salovatova A.E [2], Axramenko L.S. [3], Valeeva N.Sh., Nurutdinova A.R., Murtazina E.M. [4], Panova A.V. [5], Nurutdinova A.R., Dmitrieva E.V. [6], Matskevich E.E., Flaksman A.A. [7], Zemlyakova K.V. [8], Volodina O.V. [9], Bushmeleva A.G. [10], Efimkina E.A [11] describe the role of distance learning technologies in foreign language teaching and share the experience of using innovative technologies in this process. Pavlicheva E.N., Barannikova N.A., Rubleva E.V. [12], Urakova F.K., Phanaeva S.N., Shherbashina I.V. [13] analyze the application of distance learning and information and communication technologies in teaching Russian as a foreign language (because universities enroll foreign students and there is a great necessity to teach them Russian for their further successful adaptation). Zavadskaya O. A., Kuznetsova Yu. V. [14] concentrate on psychological and pedagogical aspects of teaching a foreign language using remote technologies. Sergeeva I.V. [15], Kurenkova T.N., Strekaleva T.V., Kuklina A.I. [16] develop the recommendations of teaching foreign languages in technical universities supported by Samosudova V. L., Kukushkina E. A., Vechkanova M. I. [17], Grigorieva L.E. who also share the experience of work in non-linguistic universities. Startseva N. V., Oleynik M. A. [19] use remote technologies in teaching a foreign language in a secondary school. But almost all these scientific works consider distant technologies to be additional ones, while modern situation forces faculty members to use ICT as basic ones.

METHODOLOGY

The goal of the article is to provide readers with the experience of Krasnoyarsk SAU faculty members in using Zoom platform for foreign language teaching in the pandemic conditions, considering its advantages and disadvantages.

The tasks of research are as follows: to reveal features of foreign-language on the Zoom platform; to show the practical experience of the Department of "Foreign Languages and Professional Communications" of Krasnoyarsk state agrarian university on the application of the Zoom platform in the teaching process; to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of this type of teaching.

To solve the above-mentioned tasks, the following well-known methods have been used: examination of theoretical and practical fundamental works in the field distant education and ICT educational technologies, practical experiment, observation, questioning, testing.

RESULTS

Teaching a foreign language involves direct communication between the students and the teacher in various forms. Zoom is a platform for online classes and conferences. A lot of teachers, speakers and students around the world use it for distance learning. Any teacher at the secondary

school or a faculty member of the university can create an account and organize an online lecture. A free account allows to hold a video conference lasting 40 minutes but Krasnoyarsk state agrarian university created a corporate account which many university teachers joined successfully. This corporate account provides connection for three hours. Zoom corporate account allows everyone to communicate comfortably in real time, because the platform provides excellent communication. Any listener who has its ID or a link to it can connect to the lecture or distant classes. Professors and docents can schedule a class in advance and make a recurring conference call so that the classes always start at a specific time. Zoom allows the teacher to conduct a lecture or a practical class with the camera turned on; audio communication; demonstration of their screen (or a separate window, part of the screen, etc.) and use the built-in interactive whiteboard (which makes the teaching process even more interactive). In addition, the faculty member can control the connection and disconnection of listeners' microphones - this is convenient if you need silence during the lecture. One more advantage of Zoom platform is the distribution of listeners into convenient groups, in separate rooms, where they are able to communicate only with each other, which is really good for the foreign language teachers as it allows to conducts such type of classroom work as for example, creating a dialogic or monologue statement, projects or creative workshops on the given topic.

The Zoom platform where the teacher is also the organizer of the conference creates an opportunity for communication both oral and written, operating with various functions that this system offers. For example, the teacher-organizer has the ability to control the microphone, i.e. organize audio perception and video for all participants of the conference, create a kind of language class for practicing listening and reading skills, demonstrate the screen of his/her digital device to display various information materials, including audio and video materials, presentations, an electronic version of the educational course, visual materials. The author of the article considers it to be one of the greatest advantages especially for extramural students. It is known that the number of students in extramural groups usually exceeds 20 people and it is quite problematic to provide all of them with printed versions of the materials, grammar tables, handouts. So, having 5-6 groups of extramural students the foreign language teacher was obliged to print a lot of copies as not all classrooms are provided with special interactive equipment. Zoom solved this problem perfectly as it allowed to demonstrate all the materials on the screen. The communication of the author with students was also supported by chats in such messengers as "Viber" and "Whats App" which allowed to send PDF and Word files of the materials to students for them to learn the presented material at their own pace.

During the demonstration of the screen, the teacher can also use the "comment" function to highlight those points that need to be paid special attention to or perform various exercises, for example, connect words and pictures, solve a crossword puzzle. Students can show completed homework on their screen by implementing the "screen sharing" function, and the teacher-organizer of the conference, in turn, sees the student's screen on his own, corrects the task, and evaluates the answer. Another useful feature "chat" makes it possible to write questions and give answers to them without turning on the microphone, i.e. to practice writing skills. One can enter new lexical units for studying or send files and various types of documents to all students at once or selectively, which helps to ensure a differentiated approach in teaching a foreign language in a secondary school. In addition, an interactive whiteboard is built into the platform, which allows to have a direct feedback with students in real time: the teacher has the opportunity to visually explain the material, give written tasks and check them directly in the lesson, work out the necessary lexical and grammatical material, work with visual material. One of the necessary features of this platform for learning a foreign language is

Балтийский гуманитарный журнал. 2021. Т. 10. № 1(34)

ISSN print: 2311-0066; ISSN online: 2712-9780

ШМЕЛЕВА Жанна Николаевна ОПЫТ ПРЕПОДАВАНИЯ ИНОСТРАННОГО ...

the ability to record a lesson. The teacher has the opportunity to show the past lesson to those students who, for some reason, could not attend the online lesson at one time or another. Thus, teachers retain their usual working methods, effectively integrating them into the new lesson format. In other words, Zoom has many advantages, which makes this service indispensable for foreign language teachers during distance learning, but the most important advantage is that the platform allows using live speech when interacting with students, without which learning a foreign language is a priori impossible, and thus contributes to the organization of comprehensive foreign language lessons in a complex environment of modern realities.

Despite its obvious advantages, the platform has some disadvantages. The most significant of which is the time limit of the session-40 minutes, if the university doesn't have corporate account. Like any online platform, zoom requires high-speed internet and a powerful digital device which is not always available for students who live in villages during the pandemic restrictions. Next is the strong belief of the author that only "live" communication and support of the foreign language teacher can help to form students' competences and motivation. It often happens that students prefer not to switch on the camera and distract from the lesson and the teacher sees only "black screens" with the names. So some time is needed to keep students involved into the whole lesson by motivating them and involving them into different types of language activities.

Thus, the Zoom platform seems to be one of the most effective for conducting foreign language lessons in the context of distance learning, since it allows to preserve the most important and fundamental factor for the success of acquiring basic skills and abilities as communication, without which it is impossible to master language competence, which is the main result of learning a foreign language. The author can also give some advice for comfortable and productive work on the Zoom platform:

1. Before the start of the lesson, the teacher should prepare his|/her workplace: a computer or laptop on which he will conduct a webinar, a camera, headphones with a headset or a separate microphone and check the devices: whether everything is well heard and visible, whether you need to change something.

2. A webcam is needed from the computer or laptop to periodically switch from showing the presentation to communicating with the audience when you are visible. This increases the involvement of students in classes.

3. From the desktop of the laptop or computer, it is better to remove any files and documents that are undesirable to show to listeners, close all extraneous windows. Since you will share the screen to show the presentation. And you can accidentally show your desktop (if you show the entire screen).

4. It is not advisable to conduct a webinar via the mobile internet, it is better to conduct classes from home, where there is a stable connection.

5. It is not a good idea to read the text from the slides as the listeners already see it on the screen.

6. The teacher should demonstrate additional materials (if possible): documents, tables, images, videos, etc. This will create diversity and encourage the involvement of students in the learning process.

7. It is necessary to divide the information into logical blocks, so that there is a clear framework. On the transition between topics, it is worth focusing the attention of listeners.

8. It is better to avoid monotony, speak emotionally, but without active movements in the frame, because the image can be transmitted with a delay, which can cause irritation to listeners.

9. Using animation on slides can improve your presentation. If in person it only distracts, then in the webinar it will give a bonus.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, it should be mentioned that the important

area of work in the context of distance learning is definitely hybrid learning if it is possible. In this format, teachers have both full-time and part-time tools for working with students. But there is also HyFlex (hybrid flexible) - a format that has appeared in higher education: it combines face-to-face and online training, while all classes are held both in the classroom and remotely, but "online students" can watch lectures and lessons on the record. And the Zoom platforms seems to be very promising and helpful in this type of activity which is proved by the experience of the faculty members of Krasnoyarsk SAU in teaching foreign languages and positive feedback of students (especially extramural ones). REFERENCES:

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SHMELEVA Zhanna Nickolaevna

THE EXPERIENCE OF THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE .

Baltic Humanitarian Journal. 2021. ^ 10. № 1(34)

ISSN print: 2311-0066; ISSN online: 2712-9780

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Статья поступила в редакцию 21.12.2020 Статья принята к публикации 27.02.2021

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